《Stellar Remnant: City Rebellion》

Chapter 7: First Transformation Failure! Face-Planting is Too Embarrassing

Deep within the Rust Iron Society’s secret base lay a simple but functional training room. The metal walls were scarred with scratches of varying depth, spent energy shells littered the floor, and the training posts in the corners had long been smashed and deformed. A faint residue of Starcore energy lingered in the air.

Uncle Tie stood in the center of the room, watching Lin Feng, who looked slightly cramped and uneasy. He said in a serious tone, “Transformation isn’t just an energy outburst. You must merge Starcore energy perfectly with your body and control every detail with your mind.”

Lin Feng nodded, clenching his fists. The excitement of joining the Rust Iron Society hadn’t faded, and he couldn’t wait to improve his strength—to finally shed the label of “Rust Belt Weakling.” He had spent the previous night poring over the energy manipulation manual Uncle Tie had given him, reading it three times, and already had a basic understanding of transformation principles. But theory and practice were separated by a vast chasm.

“You have dual mechanical-biological genes. Don’t try too much at once. Start by focusing on the mechanical side—your Iron Claw form,” Uncle Tie said as he approached Lin Feng, extending his right hand. Faint blue Starcore energy pulsed in his palm. “Feel the source of energy in your body, guide it through your meridians to your arm. Remember—slow and steady.”

Lin Feng inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and focused all his attention on sensing the Starcore energy within. The Starcore core pendant at his chest grew warm as energy flowed through his meridians, slowly moving. Following the manual’s instructions, he tried to direct the energy to his right hand—but the energy was stubborn, like a mischievous child. It either stalled in the meridians or scattered in all directions, making his arm tingle.

“Don’t rush. Relax your mind, focus on your right hand,” Uncle Tie’s voice came at the right moment, calm and reassuring. Lin Feng adjusted his breathing and tried again. This time, the energy finally obeyed, slowly converging in his right palm. He could clearly feel his bones quivering, as if something beneath the skin was about to break through.

“Now!” Uncle Tie shouted. Lin Feng tensed, directing all his willpower to channel the Starcore energy. A pale blue light enveloped his right hand, bones creaking audibly, and sharp iron claws extended from his fingertips. The metallic gleam reflected harshly under the training room lights.

“Success!” Lin Feng felt a surge of joy and was about to open his eyes—but the energy suddenly went wild. The concentrated Starcore in his hand erupted, twisting the Iron Claw uncontrollably toward the floor. The force threw him off balance, and he fell forward, face-first onto the hard metal floor.

Thud! A dull crash echoed, accompanied by Lin Feng’s muffled groan. From the training room entrance came stifled laughter. A few passing Rust Iron Society members peeked in and, seeing Lin Feng face-down with his claw still twisted, couldn’t contain themselves.

“Hahaha! This is the dual-gene prodigy Uncle Tie bragged about? Face-planting already?”

“First transformation is always messy, right? But face-first? That’s embarrassing. At least I fell on my butt first!”

Lin Feng’s cheeks flushed crimson. He wanted to sink into the floor. Struggling to get up, a sharp pain shot across his forehead, and black spots danced before his eyes. The Iron Claw had automatically retracted as the energy lost control, leaving his hand tingling.

Uncle Tie walked over, helping him up. He shook his head. “I told you to take it slow, but you rushed. Transformation demands patience. Energy out of control doesn’t just fail the transformation—it can seriously damage your meridians.” He touched Lin Feng’s forehead and found a sizable bump. “Fortunately, it’s only a minor injury. Rest a bit.”

Lin Feng pressed his hand to his forehead, avoiding the laughing members, feeling both embarrassed and frustrated. “Uncle Tie, I followed the manual exactly—why did the energy still lose control?”

“Theory and practice never perfectly match,” Uncle Tie explained. “Besides, you have dual-gene physiology. Controlling energy is twice as hard as a single-gene user.” He patted Lin Feng’s shoulder, signaling the members at the door to leave. “They’ve all embarrassed themselves in their early days. Ignore their teasing. Let’s rest ten minutes, and then try again.”

Lin Feng slumped in a corner, rubbing his throbbing forehead, feeling defeated. He had thought his dual-gene awakening would allow rapid mastery of transformation, but his first attempt had ended in a humiliating face-plant. The laughter still echoed in his mind, fueling his determination to succeed next time.

Ten minutes later, Uncle Tie returned. “This time, don’t aim for a full form. Focus only on stabilizing the energy. You don’t need to conjure the Iron Claw yet—just keep the energy steady in your palm.”

Lin Feng nodded, stepping to the center of the room. This time, he cleared his mind and slowly adjusted his breathing, focusing on the Starcore pendant at his chest. Warm energy flowed again. Carefully, he guided it to his right hand. Step by step, the energy no longer scattered, pooling steadily in his palm.

“Good. Maintain it!” Uncle Tie’s voice carried a hint of praise. Lin Feng stabilized, feeling the energy fuse with his hand. A sense of control and joy welled inside him.

Just as he prepared to manifest the Iron Claw, the training room door swung open. A girl in blue overalls with a high ponytail stepped in. She looked about seventeen or eighteen, with pale skin and sharp eyes, holding a tablet. Her brow furrowed as she saw Lin Feng’s glowing hand.

“Uncle Tie, were you looking for me?” Her voice was crisp, tinged with subtle impatience. She glanced at his right hand, a sneer flickering across her face. “So this is the dual-gene awaken? Clumsy energy control. Not even beginner-level.”

Lin Feng’s joy vanished, replaced by anger. He wanted to retort, but his energy flared uncontrollably again, the pale blue light flickering. Uncle Tie quickly intervened: “Xiao Xiao, don’t belittle him—he’s just starting.”

“Su Xiao Xiao. This is Lin Feng, just joined the Rust Iron Society,” Uncle Tie introduced. “Lin Feng, this is Su Xiao Xiao. She’s our top mechanic and best energy guide. She’ll assist you in your energy training from now on.”

Su Xiao Xiao? Lin Feng recalled Uncle Tie mentioning the name yesterday. The legendary mechanic was so young—and so sharp-tongued. Suppressing his anger, he nodded politely.

Ignoring his greeting, Su Xiao Xiao scanned his right hand with the tablet. Data immediately streamed across the screen. Shaking her head, she said, “Energy fluctuation too high. Only 30% compatibility. You can’t maintain a stable transformation. You’re not only a beginner, but your so-called talent isn’t as Uncle Tie claimed.”

“You’re wrong!” Lin Feng blurted. “I’m just trying for the first time. Give me practice, and I’ll master transformation!”

“Words won’t help. Strength is reality.” Su Xiao Xiao snapped her tablet shut. “Since Uncle Tie assigned me to assist, report to the training room at six tomorrow morning. I’ll systematically train your energy control. Fall behind, and give up—the Rust Iron Society doesn’t harbor incompetence.”

She left, leaving Lin Feng shaking with fury. Uncle Tie sighed. “Xiao Xiao is like that—tough on words, soft inside. Her guidance will save you a lot of detours.”

Lin Feng knew Uncle Tie meant well. He glanced at his right hand. Excitement had caused another flare, and the glow had vanished. Taking a deep breath, he vowed to train hard, and to make the sharp-tongued Su Xiao Xiao respect him.

As he prepared to channel energy again, his Starcore pendant glowed warmly. Strange energy surged through his body, coursing rapidly along his meridians. A fleeting vision flashed in his mind—an armored figure controlling immense Starcore energy.

“What…?” Lin Feng gasped. Before he could focus, the vision vanished, leaving him dizzy. The pendant remained hot, and his Starcore energy trembled, ready to flare again. This sudden anomaly stirred deep unease—what was this energy? Would it affect his future transformations?